Paul Lo Duca is getting one last shot — he has signed a minor-league deal with the Colorado Rockies.
The Mets were never interested, since they do not have a need for a catcher nor for a backup, righthanded-hitting first baseman who can also play the outfield in a pinch. We went over that in November.
Strange, of all the teams in MLB, Colorado seemed the least likely to be a landing spot for the veteran catcher. The Rockies, after all, have that holier-than-thou thing going on up in the mountains, and Lo Duca has a history of engaging in vices such as betting on the horses, cheating with PEDs, and having affairs with teenage girls. But Jesus forgives, and perhaps Paulie will find his salvation a mile above sea level.
Prediction: Lo Duca won’t make it through spring training before either getting cut or calling it a career.
In other news, both Doug Davis and Joel Piniero have been scooped off the free agent market, with Davis going to Milwaukee and Piniero to the Angels. I suppose the best availables now rank Sheets, Garland, Pedro, Padilla, Washburn. Still, seeing how the Reds are dangling Harang/Arroyo, and Tavares would seem to be an ideal fit for the vacant 4th OF role, a trade with Cincinnati seems to make so much sense. Alas, that’ll be the reason why the Mets will state in April why they never explored such a trade.